Alumni award in works at Genoa schools

Plans for a Genoa High School Distinguished Alumni Award have been underway this summer.

High school senior Clay Parlette pitched the idea to the Genoa school board in the late spring. Board members asked him to carry out the project in conjunction with Genoa High School Principal Kevin Katafias.

The Genoa High School Athletic Department annually honors people with Hall of Fame Awards. Candidates are eligible under the categories of individual, community member, team and coach.

The Distinguished Alumni idea was borne out of Parlette’s travels as a high school band member, according to Schools Superintendent Dennis Mock.

“He was visiting all these other schools as part of the band. He saw the different kinds of awards they had and thought about the same thing for Genoa,” Mock said.

Katafias said the project in still a work in progress. They still have to tweak the application process, award costs, as well as how the award would be presented to the winners.

“Right now, we are looking at between two and four winners a year,” the principal said. “But nothing is set right now.”

Parlette, the son of Mike and Laurie Parlette, could not be reached for comment